ICC Spring Play “Women Playing Hamlet” Featuring All-Female Cast Starts On Wednesday
Illinois Central College’s spring play is almost here! “Women Playing Hamlet” begins this Wednesday and goes through this Sunday at the East Peoria Performing Arts Center.
The plot literally follows the story of a group of women playing Hamlet and the struggle of the character Jessica, the one who is cast as Hamlet.
Naturally, the cast consists of solely female ICC student actors, even though there are both male and female characters.
“Back when Hamlet was made, women weren’t allowed to play any part in a play, and men took their parts. So this is our turn to get our revenge,” says Mary Brown, the show’s costumer.
Brown made 14 costumes for the play despite there being only six actors. Two of the actors only play one character. Those are the roles of Jessica, the main character, and Gwen, the acting coach. The 12 characters are played by only four actors.
Show production has been especially quick, as it began this January and is now about to play after a mere two months.
“The actors worked hard, our set builders worked hard, everybody has put a lot into this play,” says Brown.
The play was originally made by William Missouri Downs in 2015, and the cast and crew has made it their own by working and perfecting their show in the past few months.
One show will occur every day from Wednesday, February 28 through Sunday, March 3.
Tickets are available online at icc.edu/arts or at the ticket window one hour before the event. Entrance will cost $5 for students and $10 for adults. Warning: Adult themes.